Wednesday update First Pres Nashville

It's Thursday at 530 am.   The rooster started later today.  Matt has already updated  on the surgery yesterday.  The barrio team went to the local market where basically you can buy anything though mainly clothes from the US though Haiti to the DR and locally grown produce.  I saw a lady shelling peas who I saw last year.    She said she had been doing the same thing 40 years.   She seemed happy that I recognized her and took her picture again.

The drive to Arroyo Cana was northeast through beautiful mountains.  Even passed through a little town  named Buena Vista overlooking a river valley.   As always you see people with buckets getting water at almost every river crossing.  There are always more cows and goats on the roads than behind the fences.   Not sure I understand the concept of the fences except to maybe keep out the people.

The town was hilly with unpaved streets.   There were lots of coffee beans drying in the sun on sheets on the ground.   The team set up in a local church,   all in one room  (the only room).   The front wall of the church was about 6-8 feet below street level with narrow uneven steps leading to the front door.   The people waiting to be seen gather at the door and are crowded from behind by others waiting.   As the day wears on the crowd becomes more anxious to be seen by the Americanos and more unruly.   Every time the door opens,  there was a cacophony of noise and people literally fell through the door.  Juan is not only the doorkeeper but our local minister.   He rules with a kind though firm hand.  Whenever one of the young guys try to do the job they get over-run.  Juan just laughs.

Stephen and Amanda Ragle are a well oiled patient seeing machine.  Betsy Triggs is still smiling and calm at the end of the day. Lisa does pharmacy and trinkets and love.   Rebecca  has been a rock in the pharmacy.  Some of her visual demos of med use have been hilarious.   Her experience working with refugees at home has been invaluable.  I seem to get the oldest people ( just like back home).  I saw a 99 year old and gave him some Tylenol.   Told him giving him anything strong might do him in.   He laughed.   Gray hair on me comes in handy.  I would tell them all that I take advil for the same aches and pains that they have.  They all laugh also.  One man told me I was funnier than Dominican doctors

We gather at night after dinner and talk about the day.   The devotionals have been informal and personal.
We appreciate the support from our families and  friends and churches.   Will be home tomorrow night.  Pray for our safe journey home.

En Christo

Jim Cato